Method and apparatus for straightening hair



Dec. 31, 1968 N. L. SOLOMON ET L 3,419,017

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STRAIGHTENING HAIR Filed March 15, 1965ATTORNEYS United States Patent "ice 3,419,017 METHOD AND APPARATUS FORSTRAIGHTENING HAIR Nathan L. Solomon, Englewood, N.J., and Samuel Steek,

Wilmington, Del., assignors to Solo Products Corporation, Englewood,N.J., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 439,664 4Claims. (Cl. 132-7) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method and apparatusfor straightening human hair by treating strands of the hair with asoftening agent and then applying a transverse compressive force to thetreated strands by a press having hard flat surfaces. The press has twosurfaces hinged at one end with a clamp arm pivotally mounted to apply ahair strand collapsing compressive force intermediate of the ends of thesurfaces.

This invention relates generally to straightening strands of hair andapparatus for accomplishing this, and in particular, relates to aprocess for permanently straightening curly or kinky hair and a pressfor accomplishing this.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide a methodfor straightening strands of curly hair without the use of heat.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method forstraightening curly or kinky hair permancntly without the use of heat ina quick, simple and inexpensive manner, which may be used by unskilledhelp or by the user.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from thefollowing description, when taken together with the accompanyingdrawing, which shows several embodiments of the invention, in which:

'FIGURE 1 is a perspective elevational view showing one form of a clampdisclosed in the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front perspective view of the clamp in open positionreceiving a swatch of hair;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the clamp in closed operatingposition;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional front elevational view of anotherembodiment of the clamp in accordance with the present invention inclosed operating position; and

FIGURE 5 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary, crosssectional elevationalview of a strand of hair.

As shown in FIGURE 5, a strand of hair on the head of a human being isgenerally tubular in form having an outer layer 12 of a horny substanceor cuticle, an inner layer 14 known as cortex, which is softer thanlayer 12, and a central core 16 called medulla or pith, which is softerthan layer 14.

When a strand of hair 10 is wet with certain chemicals, its outer layer12 becomes softer. Some of these chemicals are those used in coldpermanent waving solutions, which are well-known in the art, such ascold waving solutions containing thyoglycolic acid and ammonia,mercaptans, cysteine hydrochloride, etc. These materials arecollectively referred to as softening agents in the specification andclaims.

These softening agents are believed to reduce the disulfide bonds of thehair, when added to a solution con- :gining the proper pH, and aregenerally well-known in e art.

A plurality of strands of curly hair 10, shown in FIG- URE 2 as a swatchof hair 20, are wet with a softening agent in the ordinary manner.Swatch 20 is then placed in a press 22 for the application of arelatively large compressive force. In general, a pressure of at least20 p.s.i.

3,419,017 Patented Dec. 31, 1968 applied to the hair strands issatisfactory, but a pressure of at least 25 p.s.i. applied to the hairprovides consistently good results. The hair is preferably combedslightly before placed in the press.

One embodiment of a press in accordance with the present invention isshown in FIGURES 1-3. Press 22 has a pair of arms 24 and 26 pivotallyconnected at one end at 28. Arms 24 and 26 have facing surfaces 28 and30 respectively, which are flat. Press 22 is advantageously made in onepiece of a suitable plastic material, which can be flexed over longperiods without damage, such as polypropylene. Extending outwardly fromthe other end of one arm 24, as shown, is a finger 32. Finger 32 ispivotally mounted to arm 24 about connection 34. Extending generallytransversely from finger 32 is a shoulder 36 spaced a predetermineddistance from the pivotal connection 34 with an inwardly facing lip 38.Lip 38 has a chamfered or beveled edge 39. As shown in FIGURES 1-3, arm26 has a groove 40 in its outer surface and adjacent its other end 42,which cooperatively mates with lip 38 of finger 32 to hold finger 32 inclosed position, which in turn holds arms 24 and 26 in closed position.Advantageously, wall 44 of groove 40 is downwardly tapered. Further, end42 is beveled along its upper edge.

To use press 22, a swatch of hair 20 is placed between surfaces 26 and28 in its curly state, and arms 24 and 26 are pivoted into abuttingrelation, as seen in FIGURES 2 and 3. Finger 32 is pivoted inwardlytoward arms 24 and 26. Shoulder 36 on finger 32 is spaced from pivot 34a distance slightly less than the distance from pivot 34 to the upperedge of wall 44 of groove 40. Lip 38 of shoulder 36 flexes past thebeveled upper edge of wall '44 and locks into place Within groove 40.The beveled edge 39 of lip 38 cooperatively engages tapered wall 44 andthe inner surface 41 of shoulder 36 engages beveled edge of end 42 ofarm 26, so as to urge surfaces 28 and 30 into tight compressiveengagement. The compressive force exerted on the individual strands 10of swatch 20 by press 22 at least about 20 p.s.i., collapses layers 12,14 and 16 of strand 10. Preferably press 22 remains in closed operativeposition exerting a collapsing pressure for about 10 to 30 minutes,depending on the type and amount of softening agent used and the natureof the hair strands. Press 22 is removed by pivoting finger 32 clockwiseabout pivot 34, as seen in FIGURE 3, which forces lip 38 over the upperedge of groove 40 allowing arms 24 and 26 to separate. Swatch 20 isremoved and'combed. Hair strands 10 remain straight and flat.

Another embodiment of the press is shown in FIGURE 4 where inwardcompressive force is applied at an end and the center. Press 50 has arms52 and 54 pivotally mounted at one end about pivot 56. Pivotally mountedabout the other end 58 of arm 54 at 60' is a finger 62. Finger 62 ispivoted intermediate of its ends at 64. At the end of finger 62 is ashoulder 66 having an inner tapered lip 68. Lip 68 cooperatively mateswith a groove 70 in arm 52. Pivot 64 is slightly below the upper edge ofend 72 of arm 52 when in clamping position, so as to urge ends 58 and 72together. Further, adjacent groove 70 is an outwardly directed rib 74,which is forced inwardly by the clamping action of finger 62.

It is to be understood that the compressive force exerted on hairstrands 10 in accordance with the present invention must be of amagnitude suflicient to collapse the individual hair strand and make itflat by pressing, which has been found to be at least 20 p.s.i. The armsof the press should be rigid so as not to flex during compression. Ifthe compressive force is applied at an end of the arms, the compressingsurfaces could have a slight convex curvature, so that the applicationof a compressive force at the ends would tend to make the surface flat.

It is to be understood that the above described arrangements andconstruction are simply illustrative of the application of theprinciples of the invention. Certain changes and modifications may hemade within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. A press for collapsing strands of hair without the use of heat, saidpress comprising a pair of rigid arms having abutting inner hard fiatsurfaces, said arms being pivotally joined at one end, one of said armshaving a depression in its outer surface spaced inwardly from its otherend, a finger pivo-tally joined to the other end of said other arm, saidfinger having a transversely extending shoulder and facing said one arm,said shoulder having a lip extending therefrom generally parallel tosaid finger and facing said arms, said lip being radially equal to thedistance from said finger pivot as is the outer surface of said otherend of Said one arm when said flat surfaces abut, so that said lip isflexibly urged past said other end of said one arm into said depressionwhen said finger is pivoted toward said one arm for forcing said flatsurfaces into hair collapsing pressure.

2. A press according to claim 1 in which the wall of said depressionclosest to said other end is tapered and said lip of said finger istapered for cooperatively mating with said tapered wall of saiddepression.

3. A press for collapsing strands of hair without the use of heat, saidpress comprising a pair of generally hard flat surfaces pivotally joinedat one end for moving said flat surfaces into and out of abuttingrelation, said surface adapted to engage a substantial length of astrand of hair, a clamping arm pivotally mounted on the end of one ofsaid flat surfaces opposite said flat surfaces joining end and having aportion overlying the other flat surface intermediate of its ends whenin clamping position, and arm holding means on said other surfaceintermediate of its ends for cooperatively locking said arm for clampingsaid surfaces together in hair strand collapsing engagement, said hairstrand being under a pressure of at least 20 p.s.i.

4. A press for collapsing strands of hair without the use of heat, saidpress comprising a pair of rigid arms having abutting inner fiat hardsurfaces, said arms being pivotally joined at one end, one of said armshaving a depression in its outer surface intermediate of its ends, afinger pivotally joined to the other end of said other arm, said fingerbeing bendable intermediate of its ends and adjacent the upper edge ofthe other end of said one arm, a shoulder extending transversely fromthe end of said finger and facing said arm, said shoulder cooperativelyengaging said depression for forcing said flat surfaces in hair crushingcompression. 1

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,098,768 11/1937 Turco 13236.12,126,253 8/1938 Goldberg 132-31 2,526,581 10/1950 Roth 132 -312,625,306 1/1953 Murphy 222-443 2,765,949 10/1956 Hillman 220 313,127,225 3/1964 Ochrlein 312- LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

G. E. MCNEILL, Assistant Examiner.

